Furnace wall



Sept. l2,` 1939.- M. H. KUHNER FURNACE WALL Filed July 23,

MAX H. KUHNER Patented Sept. 12, 1939 PATENT OFFICE 2,172,766 FURNACE WALL Max H. Kuhner, Worcester, Mass., assignor to Riley Stoker Corporation, Worcester, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application July 23, 1936, serial No. 92,166

5 Claims.

This invention relates to furnace walls, and more particularly to the construction and arrangement of a sectional metallic casing for such walls.

It is common practice to enclose the refractory and heat insulating material of a furnace wall by means of a casing formed of sheet steel plates, this casing serving to support the wall laterally and to prevent the infiltration of air through the Wall into the furnace. In some instances these prior casings have been expensive tomanufacture and difficult to install. In other instances they have been comparatively useless for supporting the Wall or for preventing air leakage.

It is accordingly one object of the invention to provide a furnace wall casingwhich will be comparatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture and install.A y K y It is a further object of the invention to provide a furnace wall casing of simple and inexpensive construction which will be effective to support the wall laterally and prevent the leakage of air therethrough.

With these and other objects in view, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of parts set forth in the specification and covered by the claims appended hereto.

Referring to the drawing illustrating one embodiment of the invention, and in which like reference numerals indicate like parts,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation of the outside of a furnace wall, partly broken away for clearness of illustration;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a Wedge block.

In the drawing I have shown a furnace wall comprising a layer of heat insulating material I and a layer of loose or fibrous packing material I I, the latter being held in place between the insulating material Ill and a casing which forms the subject matter of the present invention.

My improved casing comprises a series of spaced parallel vertical bars I2 of I section and a series of spaced parallel horizontal bars I4 of T section arranged to provide a structural framework of substantial strength. Each bar I2 comprises a central web I5 and flanges IE-IIi projecting laterally from the inner edge of the web at opposite sides thereof, and each bar I4 comprises a central web I8 and flanges I9--I9 projecting laterally from the inner edge of the web at oppo- (Cl. 18S-34) site sides thereof. bars It are welded or `otherwise secured to the vertical bars I2. It will be apparent that this construction forms a framework providing a series of rectangular openings.

In each of the openings in the framework, I mount a fiat rectangular plate 2l] of sheet metal, the marginal portions of each plate overlapping the outer surfaces of the flanges I6 and I9. If desired a suitable cement or gasket may be placed between these parts to ensure an air-tight joint. 'Ihe edges of the plate 20 are preferably spaced slightly from the webs I5, and I to allow for inaccuracies in manufacture and erection.

The outer surfaces of the plates 20 are engaged adjacent the edges thereof by elongated strips or rods 22 which are preferably `semi-circular in cross section, with a flat inner surface and a convex outer surface. Each rod 22 extends parallel to the adjacent frame member I2 or I4, and preferably contacts at one side with the adjacent web I5 or I8.

Means is provided to force the rods 22 into contact with the plates 20, thus gripping the marginal portions of the plates between the rods on the outside and the flanges on the inside. For this purpose, I provide a series of wedge blocks 25, each having a sloping or inclined inner surface 26 arranged to engage the outer convex surface of the adjacent rod 22. Preferably the blocks 25 are arranged in pairs on opposite sides of the web I5 or I3 as the. case may be, and means is provided to force the blocks of each pair toward each other while at the same time holding them against movement in the outward direction. In the embodiment illustrated this is accomplished by mounting each pair of blocks 25| on a bolt 28 which extends through an opening SIB in the adjacent web I5 or I8, the blocks 'being provided with openings 32 to receive the bolts.

It will now be apparent that after erection of the flanged bars I2 and I4 to form a framework, the rectangular plates 2|] may be mounted therein, whereupon the rods 22 may be placed against the outer surfaces of the plates. Ihe bolts 28 may then be inserted through the wedge blocks 25 and webs I4 and I5, and by tightening the bolts the blocks of each pair will be drawn together, forcing the rods 22 against the plates 20. The plates will thus be clamped rmly in position.

By utilizing the semi-circular rods 22 I provide a convex surface which is well adapted to cooperate with the wedge blocks and I also provide a flat surface for engagement with the plate 20. This makes it possible to leave a substantial The ends of the horizontal 2:'

clearance between the edges of the plate and the webs of the bars I2 and I4. accuracy in the cutting of the plates or in the erection of the bars is not required. No-r is great accuracy in the location of the Openings 30 required, since the spacing of the bolts 28 from each other can be varied as desired without affecting the assembling operation, and variations in the location of these openings with respect tc the flanges I6 and I9 will be cared for by the slope of the Wedge blocks 25. By using the upright bars I2 of I section and the horizontal bars I4 of T section I obtain a framework of considerable strength, which supports each plate 20 firmly at all four sides. The entire casing is comparatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture and install, and thoroughly effective to support the Wall laterally and prevent air leakage therethrough.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A furnace Wall casing comprising a bar having a central web and laterally projecting flanges, flat plates having marginal portions overlapping the outer surfaces of the flanges, metal rods extending parallel to the web on opposite sides thereof and engaging the outer surfaces of the plates. wedge blocks engaging the rods, and means to move the Wedge blocks toward the web and thus force the rods against the plate.

2. A furnace wall casing comprising a bar having a central web and laterally projecting flanges, flat plates having marginal portions overlapping the outer surfaces of the flanges, metal rods extending parallel to the web on opposite sides thereof and engaging the outer surfaces of the plates, wedge blocks arrangedl in pairs on opposite sides of the web and provided with sloping surfaces which engage the rods, and means to Consequently great move the blocks of each pair toward each other and thus force the rods against the plate.

3. A furnace Wall casing comprising a bar having a central web and laterally projecting flanges, flat plates having marginal portions overlapping the outer surfaces of the flanges, metal rods ex tending parallel to the web on opposite sides thereof and engaging the outer surfaces of the plates, wedge blocks arranged in pairs on opposite sides of the web and provided with sloping surfaces which engage the rods, and supporting means for the blocks of each pair, the supporting means extending through the web and being adjustable to move the blocks toward the web and thus force the rods against the plate.

4. A furnace Wall casing comprising a bar having a central web and laterally projecting flanges, the Web having a series of openings therethrough, flat plates having marginal portions overlapping the outer surfaces of the flanges, metal rods extending parallel to the web on opposite sides thereof and engaging the outer surfaces of the plates, Wedge blocks arranged in pairs on opposite sides of the web and engaging the rods, and a bolt extending through each pair of Wedge blocks and the adjacent opening in the web to support the blocks and force them against the rods.

5. A furnace Wall comprising a bar having a central web and laterally projecting flanges, flat plates having marginal portions overlapping the outer surfaces of the flanges, metal rods extending parallel to the Web on opposite sides thereof, the rods having flat inner surfaces which engage the outer surfaces of the plates and convex outer surfaces, wedge blocks engaging the said convex outer surfaces. and means to move the Wedge blocks toward the web and thus force the rods against theA plate.

MAX H. KUI-LNER. 

